After some advice from you more experienced Tiger sailors here on two counts, firstly:
We were out at the weekend club racing in 20-25 mph winds and found the leading edge/luff of the main sail kept backing, we tried several ways to try and remedy this to little effect. The jib was downhauled hard,the jib traveller was right out, and the jib sheet was on the bottom hole on the clew, to allow a wider slot between the sails and a more open jib leech, main sail was sheeted real hard, main downhaul on hard and the rotation was pointing towards beyond the back of the daggerboard box to try and depower it a bit.
Only thing we can think of was maybe we were pinching to much and would have been better bearing of a bit ,letting the main traveller out a touch and not having the main sheeted so much.What are we doing wrong ? Any help would be greatfully received.
Second point;
in these conditions , on rounding the windward mark the Tiger really takes off as you go on to more of a reach and downwind, and we find the leeward hull wanting to submerge even with both of us to the rear of the boat. Is it best to just sheet out on the main or combine that with letting the traveller out. I, as helm, have played with both ways but have yet to make my mind up although I find if you let the traveller out to far and head downwind, the boat becomes unstable until the spinnaker is up ,and it is real hard to pull the traveller and sheet back in while trying to steer at speed.
Any comments and tips on these two points please.
Many thanks,

I'll let others (more knowledgeable people) discuss your main sail trim, although it doesn't sound like a pinching issue to me, may be pre-bend related. With regards to going around the top mark in stronger winds I think we do the following (all happens on automatic):

1. Both move backwards on trapeze.
2. Crew eases main about 6 inches (at block). Cleats sheet and hands to me. He then goes in and starts preparing for rounding (boards up etc).
3. I take loose (cleated) main sheet in my Tiller hand and make my way to the transom foot strap.
4. As I pull away I ease an arm length of traveller.
5. Kite goes up
6. Crews comes aft
7. Traveller back up
8. Heat it up and go like (censored).

I generally stay on trap until the first Gybe and then the crew goes out.

Thanks for the reply scarecrow,much appreciated. I must admit, in these conditions only, I as helm tend to go inboard before rounding and leave the crew out and behind me on the trap til the boat has lost its tendancy to become a submarine ! It certainly does go like (censored),.........off the wind.
I can see this leading to a slower deployment of the spin than your method ,I'll give it a go.
As for the backing of the main in these conditions, your mention of incorrect pre-bend certainly crossed our minds, and something we will try this weekend, ( 25-30 mph forecast), as we had not altered any rigging/ diamond wire settings from our usual medium wind settings.
I guess this is what helps makes sailing/racing so enjoyable,having all these variables to play with on the boat let alone weather conditions and tactics !
Many thanks and Happy sailing,

I'll let others (more knowledgeable people) discuss your main sail trim, although it doesn't sound like a pinching issue to me, may be pre-bend related. With regards to going around the top mark in stronger winds I think we do the following (all happens on automatic):

1. Both move backwards on trapeze.2. Crew eases main about 6 inches (at block). Cleats sheet and hands to me. He then goes in and starts preparing for rounding (boards up etc).3. I take loose (cleated) main sheet in my Tiller hand and make my way to the transom foot strap.4. As I pull away I ease an arm length of traveller.5. Kite goes up6. Crews comes aft7. Traveller back up8. Heat it up and go like (censored).

I generally stay on trap until the first Gybe and then the crew goes out.

I hope this helps.

We pull up the boards once the kite is up. The theory being that keep both of us out on the wire until the last second to keep upwind speed. Then I stay out on the wire and the crew goes in and pulls the tack, then pulls the spin halyard just as we are rounding. They then sheet the kite and go low side and pull that board, then high side for the other one. Then they will let off rotator, outhaul, downhaul.

This sequence means you aren't heating up with the kite quite as quickly, but you maximise upwind speed into the rounding. Plus it seems easier to pull up the boards on a fairly deep spinnaker course than when beating (more side loading on the board).

For what its worth that looks like the sequence people are using in the 'Catamaran Sport' video.

Matt:
Is that a picture of you sailing? Looks like a brand new boat. Do you also have to keep a 16 around so you can race?

Yes Flump, I was joking. We hardly ever touch the boards after the start. Except to clear kelp. I think it would pay to bring them 1/2 way up downwind but not at the expense of how slow the boat is going while getting them up. It ussually costs a couple of boat lengths if done right, more if there is a problem.

I think people sometimes would wish that Greg and I would pull our boards up while going upwind!

haha - I had to do it Dan. (BTW: We missed you last weekend...it was perfect down here - five good races!)

I agree with Dan though (which is very rare I must say;-) - we usually just pull the windward up (if I feel like it - or when its really light) But if we're trying to fly downwind then the leeward board will be all the way down so that we'll have an easier time getting the hull out - you can sail lower then too because of it.

Yeah Jacques, we both wish we were there. I have talked to three of the sailors and have a really good idea of how it all went. You and Greg were not even in the same race. Seems like Jeff Newsome was on fire after the Alter Cup event tuned him up. Then there was a really close battle from about 3rd to 8th. Too much fun to hear about without being able to be there. I had to run a regatta out of Long Beach...oh well.

I hope to see you a the Cabrillo Beach regatta April 22nd and 23rd. Steve Myrter talked to the organizer when they had a question about where to run the course. It will be outside with the "big wind, big swell" according to Steve. Eileen mentioned this morning that she is excited to get back on the boat. Weather has been keeping us off it.

I think we can get Kieth and Curt there if you plan on it.

For you guys pulling the boards up, to weather, may not be enough. Try sailing backwards.

Dan - not a new boat, just new sails. It used to be Rob Jerry's boat from the 2002 Alter Cup. I bought it about 2 years ago.

I got the Tiger ostesibly to race with the CRAM guys, but I'm having a hard time finding regular crew. The guy in that photo is our Hobie dealer - and that was his first time on a Tiger. Check out the waves in that photo. That's Lake Michigan.

Mimi A. sailed with me at MWE. We would have done OK if I had stopped the advanced pitchpoling demonstrations.

Maybe if someone would have mentioned this regatta a little sooner we could have - that's what we get for last minute info.

Thread HiJack continues:
I gave you a copy of the racing schedule when we were in San Felipe. I also thought you were on the email list that I send around to all the West Coast Formula 18 sailors. I usually remind everyone about the regattas and show a list of the people that are planning on attending. I update it as I hear more about the sailors.

I will put you on the list, since I am sure you could not be on it, or you would know all the happenings.

Convince Diane that she will enjoy the Tiger more than the 16, she really will. Eileen and she are about the same size and strength and Eileen would never choose the 16 unless we were going to the Worlds. Even then I think it would be hard to get her for any practice, on a 16, before a big event. That is how much fun she has on the Formula 18.

Caveat: Do not turn the boat upside down for a good time. It is not fun!